


Damage Per Second

by Glass_Oceans



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gamer AU - Freeform, M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-05
Updated: 2018-11-05
Packaged: 2019-08-19 10:41:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16533011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glass_Oceans/pseuds/Glass_Oceans
Summary: It started as a particularly successful arena pairing. And became more complicated when Ben saw his partner's picture. But they were just internet friends, nothing would come of that, right?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Modern AU. Ben and Hux haven’t met, they’ve just heard each other via game play. They’re crushing on each other based on voice. What do they visualise? What do they think the other’s like? You don’t even have to have them meet other than they first see each other and each smiles… But what are they imagining now?

“There’s one coming up behind you.”

The voice in Ben’s ear is low, and for a moment me imagines what it might be like, lying in the long grass as he presses his cheek to the side of the rifle as he takes his sight. He spies the enemy player moving up easily and snipes them before they can move in on his position.

“Got him,” he replies, already moving to a new position, guiding his avatar one handed while taking a swig from his soda with the other. There’s no wasted conversation as he takes his new place, though he hears Dearg curse as someone snipes him. He calls up the running game score. It’s close. That hit has pushed the enemy team closer to their score, and it’s going to make it tight for the final round. Ben leans forward, a feral grin on his face as he prepares to shoot again.

“Where are you?,” Dearg asks, his voice a low hiss over the comm. Ben can just make out his location on the mini map, a dot moving rapidly away from the respawning zone.  
“Ensuring our victory,” Ben replies.

Ben hears Dearg laugh, a sharp bark of sound that makes his chest tight even as he watches Dearg’s icon move out into a more open position. The effect is immediate, and Ben could laugh at the predictable reactions of the enemy team. As they move out to try and take out Dearg, he picks them off one by one, the enemy respawn point too far away from them to get back in time for any more combat. As the last one falls, he gives up his hiding place, waiting for Dearg to reach him so they can take their customary victory screenshot.

The in-game siren sounds, declaring their victory, and Ben captures the moment, saving the image in his ever growing collection. Since he and Dearg started teaming up instead of just trying to take each other down in the free -for-all, their rankings in the PVP games have steadily increased.

“So what has you up so late?”

Ben stares back at the screen, as if expecting to see Dearg’s face there instead of the loading page on the screen of his desktop computer. Normally he’d log off as soon as the game was done. And late?

“Late?” he repeated out loud, glancing out his window where the setting sun could still be seen. “I’ll have you know it’s not even 9pm.”

“It is late,” Dearg said. “Well, it is here.”

“And yet,” Ben said, hovering over the option of signing them up for the next game. They’d only have ten minutes to wait before it started. “You’re playing on an American server.”

“Ugh.”

Ben felt himself grinning at Dearg’s noise of disgust.

“Maybe I should ask what you’re doing lurking on a foreign server?”

“Trying to find something other than idiot kids to play against.”

“Must be hard being old,” Ben taunted.

Dearg’s accept slipped when he got angry, and Ben felt himself blush as he remembered the last time it had happened, an ill-fated attempt at joining a battleground game that required they team up with eight others. Several of the team refused to follow Dearg’s tactics, resulting in fumble after fail, and Dearg screaming his frustration at them. Ben had listened in silence to Dearg’s rant, his heavy breathing after they’d finally quit the battleground and gone back to their usual game. They’d played out the rest of the evening as usual, but Ben had heard Dearg’s voice echoing in his head as he rocked against his sheets that night.

“Oh piss off,” Dearg’s voice came across, a hint of the lilt sneaking in. “I’m in college, not fucking ancient.”

Ben grinned, glad for the distraction.

“So what are you studying?”

“Game development. Among other things.”

“Ah, so this is research.”

“Eh.”

“And what am I?”

“Test subject.”

“What are you testing?” Ben asked, his forehead drawing in as he pondered the question.

“Things.”

“Things,” Ben repeated. “I think I deserve to know more than that if I’m going to be part of your thesis.”

“What age are you?”

“Nineteen,” Ben replied. “I’m a freshman.”

“And you take the piss out of me for being a student.”

Ben grinned. This was really why he enjoyed these nights so much. Talking with Dearg was always so easy. Even the silences were easy. He never smiled so much as he did on saturday nights.

“You’re clearly a final year student,” Ben replied, full of confidence. “That kind of weary attitude only comes from people who’ve been ground down by the system.”

Dearg snorted. “You’ll have your turn yet.”

“Not likely,” Ben replied. “I’m studying art. I’ll be a hippy forever!”

“Ugh, I could practically hear the flounce from here.”

“Why were you asking my age?”

“Check your messages.”

Ben looked down at the text bar scrolling on the bottom of his page. They always used voice chat, so they never really used the text box, but there was a link sitting there. Curious, he clicked on it, waiting as it took him outside the game and loaded a new page.

Ben felt his mouth dry up as a photo loaded, one taken in a dark room, the lighting off as it came from the fluorescent glow of a computer screen. It showed up the dark circles under his eyes, the skin pale from more than just the game itself, but also the red hair, the sharp, bright eyes.

“Now, do I really look beaten down?”

Ben’s eyes roamed over the image as Dearg’s words filtered through his headset. Ok, sure, Dearg looked tired, but he also looked like he could cut down everyone in his path.

“That bad?”

“What? No, no, I was just…”

“Game’s up. Get your ass back in here.”

Ben licked dry lips as he tabbed through his screens, clicking accept on the new arena challenge. His heart was beating too hard in his chest, he couldn’t parse that image with Dearg’s voice drifting with false laziness through his head set.

“Ready?”

Ben looked down at his hands resting over the keyboard, fingers already in place. His eyes darted away from the screen as he considered Dearg’s photo.

“Yeah, I guess.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started as a particularly successful arena pairing. And became more complicated when Ben saw his partner's picture. But they were just internet friends, nothing would come of that, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4\. “Maybe people would like you more if you didn’t murder their loved ones.” Any pair. This has so much potential.

“I’ll have you know, I am a perfectly nice guy.”

Ben grinned as Hux barked a laugh through the headset. His exams had just finished, and while he was still stressing about the result, he’d been on early to suggest to Ben that they spend the day gaming to celebrate. Ben’s desktop was littered with the evidence of their marathon session, pizza box lying open with one last slice inside, two one-litre water bottles that doubled as weights, both lying empty.

“It’s true!” Ben protested, knowing that his grin was going to come through in his voice. There were many things he could have done in that moment, but not wiped the smile off his face from hearing Dearg laugh.

“I’m not sure I believe you,” Dearg said when he finally got his breath back.

“I am offended,” Ben said.

The match they were playing was a done deal; their advantage was too great now for the opposing team to catch up with them before the game counted out, so they used the time left to indulge in somewhat patient behaviours. Dearg had scrambled to a high vantage point and was executing flawless headshots, while Ben snuck around the battlefield, killing foes with a single blow from behind.

“Which part offends you?” Dearg asked, the sound of his rifle reloading in the background.

“The part where you insinuated that people don’t like me,” Ben said, sticking his bottom lip out in a pout even though Dearg wasn’t there to see it.

“I didn’t say they didn’t like you completely,” Dearg said, “Just that maybe people would like you more if you didn’t murder their loved ones.”

Ben paused as he looked at the screen, his avatar swaying lightly on the soles of their feet. Still considering, he moved them forward, behind a pair of newbs who seemed to think they were hidden behind a wall feature. Ben unleashed a flurry of moves, grinning as the local chat lit up with the players’ complaints as their characters dropped to the ground.

“Alright, you may have a point.”

“Of course I do,” Dearg replied, making Ben roll his eyes at his assured tone.

The game ended shortly after that, Dearg excusing himself from chat to fetch more snacks, leaving Ben tapping his hands against his legs. He’d been rehearsing what he was going to say all week, but now that the moment was here, it didn’t seem to be any easier.

“I’m back,” Dearg’s voice announced. “What do you want to do next?”

“Can I ask you something?” Ben said, fighting off the urge to cough against his suddenly tight throat.

“Sure.”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but there’s a big games convention happening in a couple of months here, Blizzard are going to be running a few tournaments at it.”

“Yeah, I heard of it. What about it?”

“Well, I was looking at our scores, and we qualify to enter the tournament. My parents bought me a ticket as a gift, but I wouldn’t be much without my partner, now would I?”

“I’m glad you’re finally willing to acknowledge my superior status in our pairing.”

“Asshole,” Ben muttered, to Dearg’s laughter. “I’m trying to invite you to come with me.”

Silence stretched out then, the only sound the crackle of the empty voice chat in Ben’s ear.

“Let me check the flights.”

Ben stared at the screen, watching as Dearg’s avatar switched to afk, moving idly. Every now and again Ben could hear the tapping of keys in the background.

“The whole two weeks, or just the Blizzard expo?”

“Two weeks,” Ben said quickly. “My parents made it a birthday gift to me.”

A few more taps, the static crackle in Ben’s ear.

“Yeah, I should be able to do that,” Dearg said.

“I can pick you up at the airport,” Ben said. “And the room has two beds, if you don’t mind sharing.”

“I’m a student,” Dearg replied. “I’d have been happy with the couch, but thank you.”

Ben felt himself blushing, wondering what Dearg might have said if he’d told him there was only one bed.

“Just like that,” Ben snorted.

“Just like that,” Dearg replied. “You wanted it to be more difficult?”

“No,” Ben said, running one hand through his hair before tangling it in the band of the headphones, scowling as he tried to set them right again. “It’s just.. You don’t even know what I look like.”

“You’re going to be the guy holding a sign with my name on it.”

Ben frowned.

“And I don’t know your real name.”

“You mean you’re not just going to put my screen name on the sign? I’m disappointed.”

“I can’t call you that all week.”

“Yes, Darth_Lord.”

“Dearg.”

“Yes?”

“What is your name?”

Ben could hear Dearg sigh heavily.

“It’s Hux.”

“I think I preferred Dearg,” Ben said, a smile slowly growing on his face.

“Fuck you.”

Ben laughed, more so when he noticed that Dearg was back in the game and commanding his avatar to make all manner or rude gestures in his direction.

“Well, if you’re done doing that, I’ll book us in the for tournament.”

“Great,” Dearg said. “And then I will be seeing you in just over two months.”

“Yeah,” Ben repeated, taking a deep breath “great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my Gamer AU, which will update sporadically as I find prompts to fill that fit the direction I want to take the story. Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started as a particularly successful arena pairing. And became more complicated when Ben saw his partner's picture. But they were just internet friends, nothing would come of that, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 69\. And 79. For Kylux (69. Flirting under fire and 79. Worry born of fear)

“You are really not on form tonight.”

Ben glared at the screen as he pushed himself back in the chair. Dearg- Hux was right, but having it pointed out didn’t help. He took a breath and pulled his chair back into place before he put his finger down on his push-to-talk button. 

“Yeah well, I’m a little distracted.”

“What has you distracted?” Hux asked, his avatar swinging her gun about as he waited for Ben’s respawn. 

“Oh, I don’t know really?” Ben drawled sarcastically. “Maybe just thinking about how you should be at the airport already?”

Ben frowned at the screen to hear Hux’s gurgle of laughter. 

“I’m at the airport. Right now.”

“You are?”

“Wi-fi is quite good these days. Besides most of the game is saved onto the laptop itself, so it’s not drawing that much of the signal for me to play here.”

“Oh.”

Ben set his avatar to applying poison to his blades, then he nodded his readiness, and he and Hux set out again. Admittedly, passing the round in silence, and the knowledge that Hux wasn’t going to stand him up, resulted in a much smoother round. 

“Much better,” Hux commented when he checked their stats at the end. 

“Again?” Ben asked, more out of habit than anything else. 

“Eh, no, better not,” Hux replied. “My gate number has come up, so I should probably head down to it.”

“Ok, cool,” Ben replied, nodding to himself as his heart rate kicked up a notch. 

“You’ll be at the airport to meet me?”

“As planned.”

“And it’s not late for you?”

“Dude, I plan on spending the next seven hours doing the same things as you - sleeping. I’ll be well able to drive to the con after that.”

“If you’re sure,” Hux replied. “God, I hope I get some sleep.”

“Do you not usually sleep on long flights?”

“Can’t say I’ve taken that many of them,” Hux said, his avatar folding herself on the ground next to her pet as his logout timer counted down. Ben watched as they faded from view, Hux’s voice still in his ear thanks to the external voice server. “And it all depends on who I get seated beside.”

“So, should I have coffee or vodka waiting for you when you land?”

“Yes,” Hux replied. 

Ben laughed, grinning so wide his cheeks hurt. 

“Right, I’m just about packed up here. See you on the other side.”

“Safe flight.”

Ben listened to the chime of Hux disconnecting. He tapped his fingers against his desktop for a moment, the pulled up the airport arrivals page. He tapped in Hux’s flight details and there in all it’s bland information was Hux’s flight, and it’s expected arrival time. No more was forthcoming, just like the last time he checked. 

He sighed and pushed himself back from the desk. His bed was still unmade; it was early in the morning and he figured he’d be climbing back into it once he’d said good morning to Hux ahead of his flight. But now he was full of restless energy and the thought of lying down was the last thing he wanted. Pulling on his sneakers, Ben snuck out of the house, passing the postman as he jogged out of his drive and went for an early morning run. 

* ** *** ** *

Ben jerked up from the bed as his alarm chimed, his head fuzzy and his jogging clothes clinging to him. He pawed at the phone to silence it, his head sinking back down into the pillow. A second later he shot up, checking the time, and cursing pulled at his clothes as he stumbled into the shower. 

For once he was grateful that his over organised mother had insisted he pack the car early, now all he had to do was throw his laptop into his bag and head out the door. He had almost pulled the front door behind him, when he remembered the poster he had prepared for Hux, and went back for it with a sly smile. Wouldn’t do to forget that after all the effort he went to. 

Traffic was good to him, which left him sitting at the airport arrivals lounge, sign leaning against one leg and other leg jiggling relentlessly as he fought to resist the urge to check the arrivals information just one more time on his phone. He tried telling himself it was not going to differ in any way to the information on the big screen that he could see just by leaning forward a little bit. Ben sighed with relief when Hux’s flight finally showed as landed. Now there was just an entirely different kind of wait while the plane pulled into the terminal, unloaded the luggage, disgorged it’s passengers to collect said luggage, before they finally emerged into arrivals. Totally different. 

Ben jumped to his feet when he saw Hux emerge from the doors, his height and colouring making his easy to spot. Maybe he wouldn’t have needed the sign, he thought, when he saw Hux’s eyes zero in on him from across the room. But he held up the black poster board regardless, waving it slightly so the red _DEARG_ caught the light as Hux made his way towards him. Ben grinned as Hux approached. Sure, they didn’t know each other that well, but his was an expression that clearly said _I would ignore you if you weren’t my ride_.

Hux stopped directly in front of him, looking up at the sign. 

“Glitter paint,” he said dryly. “Really.”

“You seemed to me to be the type who would appreciate glitter in his life.”

Hux sniffed and looked away, fighting a smile. 

“You’re going to be covered in that stuff now,” Hux said, nodding to Kylo’s black shirt where a few strays pieces of red foil had fallen. 

“Eh, it could be worse,” Ben said, tilting the sign threateningly over Hux’s head. 

Hux’s expression barely changed, but communicated clearly to Ben then that ride or no, if he shook that glitter over Hux he would regret it. At the same time, a voice in the back of Ben’s head suggested to him that he would regret it very much indeed, in the best possible way. 

“Car then?” Ben suggested instead, moving the sign out of range. 

“Yes, lets.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my Gamer AU, which will update sporadically as I find prompts to fill that fit the direction I want to take the story. Enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Gamer AU, which will update sporadically as I find prompts to fill that fit the direction I want to take the story. Enjoy!


End file.
